Building construction element



Aug. 19, `1941.

v. c. ADLER v BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT Filed Jan. s. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR VICTOR C ADLER ATTORNEYS Agg. 19, 1941.

V. C. ADLER IIILDING CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT Filed Jan. s, 1959 2 sheets-sheetz INVENTOR VICTOR C. ADLER ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 19, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT GF sleek] 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to building structures and structural elements therefor, and more specifically to elements for use in the place of joists, plates, etc.

Heretofore it has been proposed to use, in the place of the conventional Wood members, various forms of fabricated elements, of them made entirely of metal, such as rolled I-beams or the like, or elements of I-bearn section made up of light gauge channels spot-welded, or combinationsof metal with wood strips, the latter intended to receive nails.

To date, however, all of these proposed forms have been open to many objections. For eX- ample, the all-steel and composite elements as heretofore proposed are diiiicult and frequently impracticable to out to exact length at the place of building. Again, the all-steel members must be drilled or punched and this must be carefully and accurately done in order that the proper holes will register. And in the case of the composite elements, much of the advantage due to the steel present, is lost because of shrinkage of the wood parts where such parts furnish the bearing between load supporting surfaces.

Among the objects of the present invention is the production of a structural element which will overcome these objections and provide one in the use ofwhich metal-to-metal load supporting surfaces may be had.

Another object is an element which may be substituted for ordinary wood joists, etc., and be nailed and otherwise treated as wood, with the exercise of no more than the ordinary precautions and care.

Another object is an element which, though skeletonized for lightness, is provided with reinforcement to resist shearing.

Still other objects will readily appear to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in

y which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a joist element.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1. l

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of a building framing and illustrating the use of the structural elements.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the plate elements, showing the method of placing studding.

Referring rst to Figures 1 and 2 showing the joist construction, it Will be seen that this consists of a built-up I-beam, indicated as a Whole at 9, of which the upper and lower bearing portions are each composed of two shallow channels preferably of light gauge sheet steel, placed back-to-back with an interposed strip Il of somewhat heavier gauge and the three elements welded together. The strip l i is suiiciently wide to extend beyond the channels lil at one side as shown at lla.

Two of these composite members are then provided with a web by welding to the projecting portions Ila of the strips Il, any suitable skeleton element, such as the zigzag bar I2, which will provide a light Weight web portion having suitable transverse and diagonal strength.

The nail receiving elements consist of wood strips l5 placed in the channels l0 and held by any suitable means such as the turned in tongues 15a.

It is proposed to make such I-beams in suitable lengths for cutting off to the required dimensions and to add at suitable intervals Short plates It serving to resist shear stresses at the ends and also serving to support bearing loads if the element is cut at a point between the points of attachment of member I2. These plates will t between upper and lower channels lll and be welded to the strip portions Ila, on the opposite side from member l2.

In addition to the joist element 9, it is proposed to form a plate element 2l), which is of the same construction as either one of the bearing portions of the joist except that the intermediate strip lib does not project. Such a plate will of course have the metal portions extending through from one face to the other and provide a metal bearing surface on both faces.

The wood strips i5 may be, if desired, treated with preservative material to inhibit decay or render the wood resistant to re or insects or all or any of them.

The use of the described elements for framing is illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. In this ligure, the ends of joists 9 are shown as supporting a plate member 20 and in turn may rest upon a suitable support such as a foundation wall (not shown). This plate 2l) may be secured in place upon joists 9 in the usual fashion by nailing the wood strips. The studs 25, which may be either the conventional wood studs as shown or studding similar in make-up to the plate members themselves, may be set directly upon the plates 20 and nailed thereto, but it is preferred to interpose a shallow sheet metal channel 3E! between the studs and plate, which channel 3D is rst nailed to the properly spaced studs, as indicated at 25a, and, when these have been erected upon the plate 20, the channel 30 nailed to the plate as indicated at 20a. Suitable holes for this nailing are indicated at 3l.

Instead of nailing through the channel 30 into the ends of the studs to x them in properly spaced relation, their proper spacing may be maintained by nailing through the sides of the channel 30 as indicated at 25h, or both methods may be used if desired.

At 30h isindicated a similar channel upon the top of studs l25 and upon this a second member 20 upon which may rest the e'nds of othler joists 9.

Now having described the invention and the preferred embodiments thereof, what I claim is:

1. A composite wood and steel I-beam having compression and tension elements consisting of steel channels arranged back to back with ral1-interposed steel strip of sufficient width to project beyond said channels at one side, rthe channels and; strip'being welded together, a skeleton Web,- element Welded-to said projecting strip portions, and Wood strips xed in said channels. f 2: A composite Wood and steel I-beam. having compression and tension elements consisting of steel channels arranged back to` back with an interposed steel strip of sucient Width to project beyond 'said chan-nels at. one side, the channels and strip being Welded together, a skeleton Webelement Welded-toi'said projecting strip portions, and Wood strips xed in. said channels, theyso constructed I-beam having -at intervals reinforcing plates also Welded to said projecting portions.

3. In building construction, an I-beam consisting of compression and tension components xed to a Web, each of said components consisting of channel members arranged back to back and having Xed therein Wood nailing strips, a plate fixed upon such I-beams and of substantially the same construction as either of said components, and studding mounted on said plate.

4. .In building construction, an I-beamV consisting of compression and tension components xed to a Web, each of said components consisting of channel members arranged back to back and having fixed therein wood nailing strips, a plate xed upon such I-beams and of substantially the same construction as either of said components, and studding mounted on said plate,l there beingv a separable metallic bearing member fixed upon said plate to receive the lower VICTOR o. ADLER. 

